Those moments of unplanned, spontaneous decluttering can be very productive. You had no intention of decluttering but there you are sorting and discarding by happenstance (I’ve always wanted to use that word). I’ve had this happen in my garden when I spot a weed while admiring a bloom. Thirty minutes later I’ll notice I…
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Your children are watching
RANSACKED, or at least turned upside down….that’s what I thought when I looked into our teenage daughter’s bedroom. My solution……..keep her door closed. I’m a PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER who helps clients declutter their homes. I know, it doesn’t make any sense. We wanted to give her some autonomy with her space. Here’s what I could control.…
Use this checklist before you leave home on vacation
Vacations are much anticipated and often necessary to recharge and reboot. It can be stressful to prepare to leave, especially for adults with homes. There’s a lot to remember to do in order to ensure your home is ready to be unoccupied, yet appear occupied for a time period. Remove some of the pre-vacation stress…
How to declutter and decide to let go with confidence
Decisions are easy……said no one! As you declutter and downsize, you’ll be faced with lots of decisions. I’ve created a list for you to refer to when you’re undecided or you feel stuck. Use this list to guide you and help you let go of your excess things. Toss, recycle, donate or sell the item…
Simple tips to declutter your overflowing email inbox
It’s not uncommon to have hundreds or even thousands of emails waiting for attention or action. My inbox comfort level tends to be about 15 emails. If you’re overwhelmed by hundreds or thousands of emails, use these simple strategies that I’ve found effective. Delete, delete, delete! Get rid of anything you don’t need. I check…
How to have an organized and clutter-free kitchen
Contrary to what you might think, your kitchen can be organized even though it’s a high traffic area and a drop zone. Clear countertops and tidy storage spaces might be a task you’ve put off and it will take an effort to maintain but it’s worth it. I find cooking is a bit more tolerable when…
Ideas for organizing and storing artwork created by your children
What in the world do you do with the special art your children created? It piles up quickly, especially during their pre-school and elementary years. I’d like to offer you some options for saving artwork created by your kids or grandkids. First, be extremely selective by saving only the cream of the crop. Ask yourself, are all…
3 vital organized habits you need to adopt to live a more organized life
Uncover the organized person within you. Believe it or not, we are all capable of living a more organized life. I’m going to reveal three vital organizing practices I teach my clients that may encourage you to embrace better habits. 1. Edit your possessions until they fit their intended space. When everything fits into your available…
You won’t believe what turns up while decluttering with clients
Has clutter concealed money in your home? You’ll find out once you start sorting through your papers, boxes, and piles. My clients have discovered thousands of dollars hidden among clutter in their homes. People are thrilled when we find sizable checks they thought were lost forever. We’ve also found loose change and bills. We once…
Practical tips for organizing your home maintenance records
If you own a home, you know that a home requires care and upkeep in the form of repairs, renovations and regular maintenance. There are systems you can put in place to organize home maintenance paperwork including receipts, service providers and projects. Your first consideration when organizing home maintenance items is to decide whether you…
Instant decluttering tips for a cleaner home
This is the last my series of tips to help you start eliminating clutter and take you from overwhelmed to organized. Apply the “one-in, one-out” rule to your home. For every item you bring in, one should be donated or discarded. This may need to be modified to one-in, 10-out until your home feels comfortable. Give…
7 winning organizing strategies
This week I’m sharing more of my top strategies to help you go from overwhelmed to organized. 1. Use containers while de-cluttering instead of creating piles. You’ll need these clearly labeled containers next to the area you are de-cluttering: donate, sell, trash, recycle, items to keep but go elsewhere and shred. 2. Find a home for…
5 ways to start organizing when you’re overwhelmed
It’s not uncommon to dread the organizing process and feel paralyzed. I’m sharing my best tips to help you go from overwhelmed to organized in the next 3 blog posts. Start small. Choose a very tiny area to start, like one drawer, or commit to organizing for a short amount of time (15 minutes every week).…
